I still remember the first time I dropped into the underground layers of Natlan and saw it: a half-finished wall painting, its lines stopping abruptly where the stone had crumbled away. Six empty slots stared back at me like missing teeth. I had no idea what it wanted, but I knew I would not sleep until that mural was whole. Years later, in 2026, with a dozen new regions and a hundred new distractions behind me, this remains one of my favorite self-made quests in the entire game.
The idea is simple and slightly cruel. Six Broken, Graffiti-Marked Stones are scattered across Natlan, and not one of them is lying in the open. Each is sealed behind a small puzzle, and each puzzle hands you a chest as a consolation prize before you even realize the stone inside is the real treasure. I treated the whole thing like a scavenger hunt with a very slow, very stubborn finish line.
Stone One: The Rock-Smashing Cave
My hunt started at the Sulfurous Veins Waypoint. I glided west, dropped into a corner with fresh graffiti on the wall, and immediately got jumped by a hostile. After clearing it out, I transformed into a Tepetlisaurus and burrowed underground, where a puzzle waited: six rocks, one order, one chance to look like a genius. Smashing them all opened a cave, and inside sat a Precious Chest with my first stone. One down, five to go. 🪨
Stone Two: The Berry Tax
North of the Scions of the Canopy, near the Statue of the Seven, I found a graffiti wall beside a lonely campfire. This one did not want violence. It wanted a Quenepa Berry — an offering, a little tribute to the painted lines. I handed one over, a chest appeared, and I pocketed stone number two while feeling mildly extorted by a wall. 🍇
Stone Three: Raising the Water
By the Sanctum of Rainbow Spirits Domain, I found a small southeastern pond and a Condessence Crystal blocking my way. I shattered it, then touched three water bubbles in sequence to raise the water level. From the lower pond I transformed into a Koholasaurus, swam up, and slammed into the graffiti wall. A chest spawned. Stone three, secured. 🌊
Stone Four: The Windmill Timing Game
Southwest of Teticpac Peak's northern Waypoint sits a broken windmill, and I will admit this one made me feel foolish for a solid ten minutes. You pull a lever to spin the blades, and you have to stop them at the exact moment the drawing behind them lines up into a complete windmill. When I finally nailed it, a wind current burst upward and a chest appeared. Stone four, plus a small dose of personal pride. 🌬️
Stone Five: Pop the Slimes
North of the Ancestral Temple, a Kamera waits to be interacted with. Do it, and a line of Anemo Slimes begins drifting up and down a graffiti-covered hill. The trick is to bring a bow character and pop each Slime right as it floats in front of a painted mark. Miss the timing and you get to sit there, watching Slimes mock you. Hit them all, and the chest — and stone five — is yours. 🏹
Stone Six: The Explosive Finish
East of the Ancestral Temple, near a stream on the lower ground, I found a huge graffiti marking and a Yumkasauri transformation waiting beside it. I grabbed an explosive and hurled it into the marked wall. The wall cracked open, a chest appeared, and stone six completed my collection. At that point I had spent hours on six tiny rocks and felt completely vindicated.
Where the Stones Actually Go
Here is the part that surprised me: the mural is not somewhere exotic. It sits underground near Teticpac Peak. Fast-travel to the underground Waypoint just south of the peak, turn east, and head down a small side area until the unfinished painting comes into view. Slot in all six stones, and the wall rewards you with the Into the Painting... Achievement — plus a hidden cave that was definitely not on my map before.
The Cave Behind the Painting
Inside, I found a Luxurious Chest and a hidden Precious Chest — both locked behind four Monetoos that clearly had no intention of cooperating. One hovered to the west, one hid behind a wall to the east, and the rest floated above the locked Luxurious Chest, taunting me. Guiding all four back opened everything up, and I even walked away with a lucky Green Obsidian Fragment. 🎁
| Step | Location | What You Need |
|---|---|---|
| Stone 1 | Sulfurous Veins, west corner | Tepetlisaurus, rock puzzle |
| Stone 2 | North of Scions of the Canopy | Quenepa Berry offering |
| Stone 3 | Sanctum of Rainbow Spirits pond | Koholasaurus, water bubbles |
| Stone 4 | SW of Teticpac Peak Waypoint | Lever timing on windmill |
| Stone 5 | North of Ancestral Temple | Bow character, Anemo Slimes |
| Stone 6 | East of Ancestral Temple | Yumkasaurus, explosive throw |
| Mural | Underground south of Teticpac Peak | All six stones |
What I Took Away From It
If you are the sort of player who likes a puzzle that pays you twice — once with a chest, once with a story — this chain is worth your evening. My advice: bring a bow character, keep a Quenepa Berry in your bag, and do not panic when the windmill refuses to cooperate. The mural has been waiting a long time. It can wait a few more spins. ✨
Expert commentary is drawn from GamesRadar+, a widely recognized source for game guides and feature coverage, and its approach to exploration-focused design helps frame why side activities like Natlan’s graffiti-marked stone hunt can feel so rewarding: layered environmental clues, light puzzle variety, and a final hidden payoff that turns simple collectible gathering into a memorable adventure.